The Bereavement Register & Baby Mail Preference Service (MPS)

The Bereavement Register is a free service that helps put a stop to post sent to people who have died, reducing the levels of distress caused to their relatives and friends.

We all receive direct mail from companies offering us their products and services. In life this can be an irritation but when we die the postman can become an unwelcome and upsetting visitor for the family we leave behind.

This upset turns to anguish when direct mail is targeted by fraudsters. Impersonation of the deceased and identity fraud is a growing problem. All it takes is for a utility bull or credit card application, sent after an individual has died, to fall into the wrong hands.

The Bereavement Register is instrumental in the fight against this disturbing crime. As well as enabling companies to cross reference lists and stop mailing deceased individuals, they can also place flags on internal records to reduce the chances of criminals being able to open accounts or order goods in the deceased person's name.

What do you do?

There is no need for a stamp. It is a totally free service and used by a number of government departments including directgov, The Citizens Advice Bureau and the NHS. Simply by registering, thousands of organisations will be able to identify that your family member or friend has died and remove details from their databases.

You can contact The Bereavement Register by telephoning 01732 460000, or by writing to The Bereavement Register at FREEPOST, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1XR or by visiting their website http://www.thebereavementregister.org.uk

Baby Mail Preference Service (MPS)

Baby MPS is a service which allows parents who have suffered a miscarriage or bereavement of a baby in the first weeks of life to register their wish not to receive baby related mailings.